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Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista named player of month, joins AL team for home run derby

Bautista batted .271 with four doubles, 14 home runs, 30 RBIs in June to capture his fifth career American League Player of the Month award.

Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista batted .271 with four doubles, 14 home runs, 30 RBIs in June to capture his fifth career American League player of the month award. (RENE JOHNSTON / TORONTO STAR) | Order this photo

By Mark ZwolinskiSports Reporter

Mon., July 2, 2012

Jose Bautista capped an inspiring month of June with another outstanding player award.

Bautista, who started slowly this season, returned in June to the form that has seen him claim the major league home run crown the past two seasons, and earn three straight all-star berths, including being voted to the AL starting lineup for next week's game in Kansas City.

In an electric month of June, Bautista put up a .271 average with 14 home runs, 30 RBIs and 24 runs scored in 27 games. It was his fifth career monthly award.

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The 14 homer mark set a Blue Jays' franchise record for most hit in any single month.

Bautista now leads the majors with 26 homers, is second with 63 RBIs, and is tied for fourth with 56 runs scored.

Two days ago, he also noticed a man struggling in the stands behind home plate, just above the Blue Jays dugout. Bautista was standing several hundred feet away in right field, and called time out, and ran up to an umpire in the infield to point out the disturbance.

It turned out the man was suffering a heart attack, and collapsed out of his seat. He had lost his vital signs, but a team of stadium security, medical officers, and then paramedics and firefighters, restored the man's heart beat and saved his life.

HOME RUN DERBY: Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano has asked Jose Bautista, Prince Fielder and Mark Trumbo to join him on the AL side for the All-Star home run derby.

Cano announced the invitations Monday, a day after rosters were announced for the All-Star game July 10 in Kansas City.

Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp said Sunday he invited Carlos Beltran, Carlos Gonzalez and Giancarlo Stanton to join him on the NL side. Kemp is on the disabled list because of a strained left hamstring. He is unlikely to play in the game, but is the NL captain for the derby and wants to take part.

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